title: Stimulation of interleukin-13 expression by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 oncoprotein Tax via a dually active promoter element responsive to NF-kappaB and NFAT.
abstract: The human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) Tax oncoprotein transforms human lymphocytes and is critical for the pathogenesis of HTLV-1-induced adult T-cell leukaemia. In HTLV-transformed cells, Tax upregulates interleukin (IL)-13, a cytokine with proliferative and anti-apoptotic functions that is linked to leukaemogenesis. Tax-stimulated IL-13 is thought to result in autocrine stimulation of HTLV-infected cells and thus may be relevant to their growth. The causal transactivation of the IL-13 promoter by Tax is predominantly dependent on a nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-binding P element. Here, it was shown that the isolated IL-13 Tax-responsive element (IL13TaxRE) was sufficient to mediate IL-13 transactivation by Tax and NFAT1. However, cyclosporin A, a specific NFAT inhibitor, revealed that Tax transactivation of IL13TaxRE or wild-type IL-13 promoter was independent of NFAT and that NFAT did not contribute to IL-13 upregulation in HTLV-transformed cells. By contrast, Tax stimulation was repressible by an efficient nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB inhibitor (IkBaDN), indicating the requirement for NF-kappaB. The capacity of NF-kappaB to stimulate IL13TaxRE was demonstrated by a strong response to NF-kappaB in reporter assays and by direct binding of NF-kappaB to IL13TaxRE. Thus, IL13TaxRE in the IL-13 promoter represents a dually active promoter element responsive to NF-kappaB and NFAT. Together, these results indicate that Tax causes IL-13 upregulation in HTLV-1-infected cells via NF-kappaB.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Katrin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Silbermann
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Grit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schneider
authors.affiliation: Institute of Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Erlangen, Germany.
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grassmann
mesh_terms: D017931:DNA Primers; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D016356:Gene Products, tax / Q000276:immunology*; D015490:HTLV-I Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D015368:Human T-lymphotropic virus 1 / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D018793:Interleukin-13 / Q000235:genetics*; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000502:physiology*; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors / Q000502:physiology*; D011401:Promoter Regions, Genetic; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000235:genetics; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000821:virology; D016385:TATA Box; D015533:Transcriptional Activation
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D016356:Gene Products, tax; D018793:Interleukin-13; D016328:NF-kappa B; D050778:NFATC Transcription Factors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; C514970:tax protein, Human T-lymphotrophic virus 1